Intactivism: Week in Review February 25, 2012

by Tally on February 25, 2012

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Choose Intact:Quoting Dr. Doug Diekema Against the AAP’s Position
A pro-circumcision doctor was recently quoted in an article about male infant circumcision and the movement seeking to allow baby boys to remain whole and grow up with all their body parts. Tony addresses many of the points made by the doctor to show why male infant circumcision should remain as a disfavored procedure. He points out that the doctor avoids the ethical question of infant circumcision by relying upon the parent's choice. But the penis does not belong to the parents. It is the boy's choice to decide what happens to his penis.

no circumcision:Swedish docs in circumcision protest - The Local
A report of the Swedish Paediatric Society (Svenska barnläkarföreningen, BLF), which is advocating that religious and non-medical male circumcision ought to be banned in Sweden. It is their position that circumcision is mutilation and an assault if done without consent of the person being cut.

Everyone's Gran:Circumcision - I Wouldn't Do It To My Child If You Paid Me - Part Three
The third in a series about male infant circumcision. Outside the United States, doctors and medical groups do not advocate non-therapeutic male circumcision. Male circumcision is not easier for babies than adults. Older boys and adults have pain medication available to ease any issues that they may have.

NCFM:Swedish doctors call circumcision and “assault on boys"
The Swedish Paediatric Society is calling circumcision an assault on boys. And unlike pediatricians in the United States, the Swedish pediatricians are NOT giving in to the influence of money and religious/political hype. The Swedes recognize that male infant circumcision is the permanent surgical removal of a functioning sexual organ.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Everyone's Gran:Circumcision - I Wouldn't Do It To My Child If You Paid Me - Part Five
The fifth in a series of male infant circumcision posts. In this post, Gran addresses that male circumcision is ineffective against preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV-AIDS. Male circumcision is ineffective against preventing penile cancer and cervical cancer. Also, male circumcision is unnecessary to prevent phimosis and paraphimosis.

Choose Intact:Universal Excuses for Genital Cutting
A comparison of the excuses given for genital cutting: male circumcision and female genital cutting. Often unknowingly, proponents of each give similar reasons justifying genital cutting of a child.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Wired:In Speculative Fiction Story ‘Cut,’ Genital Mutilation Becomes a Fad
The author of a short story is interviewed for a podcast. The story presents a future scenario where girls can get circumcised if they want. The author asks, "at what point does a parent’s decision of what to do with their child’s body become valid? You know, male circumcision is still very commonly practiced in the U.S., and yet we throw up our hands in horror when we talk about female circumcision, or genital mutilation, yet I’m sure that the parents who commonly practice this on their children are doing it with the same attitude that we see in male circumcision, or in having a child’s teeth straightened or whatever."

Moralogous:How old do you have to be to have human rights?
The author makes a strong case for genital integrity. Male infant circumcision violates the boy's genital integrity and his autonomy. "Every human being has the right to bodily autonomy and self-determination. These rights do not come from the government; they are natural. This right is so basic that we often aren’t even aware of it, but think for a minute: does anyone have the right to permanently alter your body without your permission?"

New Zimbabwe:Impact of male circumcision on HIV doubted
An African website states that male circumcision is a dangerous distraction in the fight against HIV and AIDS in Africa. The effect of male circumcision with respect to HIV infection rates has been overstated.

The Case Against Infant Circumcision:Problem with Mathematical Modelling in Circumcision & HIV Prevention
Mathematical modelling is based on the accuracy of the many assumptions used in the modeling. Flaws or inaccurate assumptions affect the results from mathematical modeling. Many of the trials performed to support the male circumcision campaign use flawed assumptions. One such flawed assumption is that the self-selected volunteers ar representative of the population of the country.

Friday, February 24, 2012

A mother provides cogent reasons why parents should leave their baby boys intact. No baby boy should be subject to the pain of infant circumcision. As she says, "Knowledge is power, and when you know better, you do better."

Mama Raw:Today I made a difference
An intactivist is happy because she has made a difference. She tells of how her intactivism has affected another, who then spread the word about genital integrity for all children. This mother should be happy. She has made a difference through her actions.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

HIV in Kenya:Condoms More Effective, Cheaper & Safer Than Male Circumcision & Dep Provera
The Africa trials that are used to promote male circumcision in Africa stated that condoms should be used. But if condoms are used, circumcision is not necessary. Further, there is a greater risk of women becoming infected with HIV when their partner is circumcised. The author suggests that the huge sums of money behind the Africa circumcision campaign is the reason the "useless and risky circumcision programs" are promoted so strongly.

Who is this guy?

Restoring Tally is just an ordinary guy who had to confront his prostate and circumcision problems. This site chronicles his journey in dealing with these issues. He has had prostate surgery and he is restoring his foreskin.